farthing left to buy
masses for my poor soul! And no absolution, no viaticum, nor anything! I
die like a dog and am damned!"

"Clear away that running rigging!" said Amyas, while the dark Dominican
stood perfectly collected, with something of a smile of pity at
the miserable bishop. A man accustomed to cruelty, and firm in his
fanaticism, he was as ready to endure suffering as to inflict it;
repeating to himself the necessary prayers, he called Fray Gerundio to
witness that he died, however unworthy, a martyr, in charity with all
men, and in the communion of the Holy Catholic Church; and then, as
he fitted the cord to his own neck, gave Fray Gerundio various petty
commissions about his sister and her children, and a little vineyard far
away upon the sunny slopes of Castile; and so died, with a "Domine, in
manus tuas," like a valiant man of Spain.

Amyas stood long in solemn silence, watching the two corpses dangling
above his head. At last he drew a long breath, as if a load was taken
off his heart.

Suddenly he looked round to his men, who were watching eagerly to know
what he would have done next.

"Hearken to me, my masters all, and may God hearken too, and do so to
me, and more also, if, as long as I have eyes to see a Spaniard, and
hands to hew him down, I do any other thing than hunt down that accursed
nation day and night, and avenge all the innocent blood which has been
shed by them since the day in which King Ferdinand drove out the Moors!"

"Amen!" said Salvation Yeo. "I need not to swear that oath, for I have
sworn it long ago, and kept it. Will your honor have us kill the rest of
the idolaters?"

"God forbid!" said Cary. "You would not do that, Amyas?"

"No; we will spare them. God has shown us a great mercy this day, and we
must be merciful in it. We will land them at Cabo Velo. But henceforth
till I die no quarter to a Spaniard."

"Amen!" said Yeo.

Amyas's whole countenance had changed in the last half-hour. He seemed
to have grown years older. His brow was wrinkled, his lip compressed,
his eyes full of a terrible stony calm, as of one who had formed a great
and dreadful purpose, and yet for that very reason could afford to be
quiet under the burden of it, even cheerful; and when he returned to the
cabin he bowed courteously to the commandant, begged pardon of him
for having played the host so ill, and entreated him to finish his
breakfast.

"But, senor--is it possible? Is his holiness dead?"